Call for Projects - Pedestrian and Bicycle Program

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The purpose of this program is to improve conditions for biking and walking and encourage “complete street” type projects that safely meet the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, public transportation users and motorists, and also protect and preserve community environment and character. Recognizing that improvements to these streets and roads are critical to communities across the state, this program provides funds for transportation improvements that support infill and redevelopment, intensify land uses, and connect housing and employment in order to improve the mobility and safety of Washington residents.

This grant program is intended to reduce the number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed or injured in traffic collisions while simultaneously helping to reach the state's goal of doubling the number of biking and walkng trips.

Program Contacts

Selection Process

All proposals will be reviewed to ensure that they are complete and eligible for funding. A grant review committee will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations. WSDOT in coordination with the lead agency will conduct site visits for priority projects to ensure project is adequately defined and estimated prior to developing the list of priorities. A prioritized list of projects will be submitted to the Governor’s office and the legislature by December 15, 2014 who will make final decisions on projects and grant awards. Award announcements are expected by June 2015.

Review Criteria

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the project proposals. Projects providing match shall be given preference.

(a) Promoting healthy communities by encouraging walking, bicycling and using public transportation.

(b) Improving safety by designing major arterials to include features such as wider sidewalks, dedicated bicycle facilities, medians, and pedestrian streetscape features, including trees where appropriate.

Based on recent state and national research, arterial streets in urban areas with higher speeds, higher motor vehicle volumes, and housing mixed with commercial attractions, transit service, and other pedestrian and bicycle generators are the locations with the most transportation conflicts, collisions and risk.

How will the project improve safety, while expanding mobility for all users, especially at-risk populations?

(c) Protecting the environment by providing safe alternatives to single occupancy driving.

In order to make alternatives to single occupancy driving safe and viable, connections are needed between and among existing housing, employment, education, retail and recreation destinations.

How well will this project support infill, encourage redevelopment and reuse of existing building stock, intensify land uses, and connect housing and employment.

(d) Preserving community character by involving local citizens and stakeholders to participate in planning and design decisions.

Recent research has shown that transportation projects on urban arterials and main street highways have a greater likelihood of scope, schedule and budget changes that often result in additional costs. This is primarily due to the complexity of the setting and level of interest by area residents and stakeholders. Research has demonstrated that additional and cleaner up front coordination and communication and engagement of local citizens and stakeholders in design sometimes called ‘Community Design’, can reduce the potential for project delay or cost over-runs.

How has or how will this project ensure community engagement in planning and design decisions that will help to preserve community character?

Overlap with nationally designated Main Street communities, Main Street affiliates, or National Historic Districts that are also community main streets.

Consistency with community plans

Consistency with the federal principles of livability (EPA-HUD-DOT partnership) including:

Providing more transportation choices

Promoting equitable, affordable housing

Enhancing economic competitiveness

Supporting existing communities

Coordinating policies and leverage investment

Valuing communities and neighborhoods

Examples of Eligible Projects

Design/scoping only projects or engineering projects that help reduce the nearly 400 fatal and injury collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists that occur each year in Washington and/or projects that significantly increase mobility to encourage more people to bicycle and walk are eligible to apply for a grant through the Pedestrian and Bicycle Program. The following are examples of eligible projects and programs.

Project Development – applications for “Design/Scoping Only” projects will be acceptedt

Community design that includes public engagement in planning and design decisions.

Right of Way Acquisition

Engineering improvements – grant applications may include items such as:

Crossing/intersection treatments/roundabouts

Pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements for at risk groups (the young, the aging and people with disabilities).

Signage, striping, markings

Sidewalks

Pedestrian-scale lighting

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations

Bike lanes, bike boulevards, and cycle tracks

Shared-use paths/trails and path crossings

Bicycle parking and stations

Traffic calming (medians, refuge islands, curb extensions)

Providing safe routes to transit

Streetscape and frontage improvements

Speed feedback signs and automated counters

This program is not intended to increase motor vehicle capacity or fund pavement resurfacing and pavement preservation elements. However, projects that leverage paving investments will be considered higher priority.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Collision Statistics

The pedestrian and bicycle collision data is provided to help you complete the application form, it includes location information about pedestrian and bicycle crashes on city streets, country roads and state highways in Washington for the last three years. County data represents collisions in the county that occurred on county roads, miscellaneous trafficways or state routes outside of city limits. The city data represents collisions that occurred on city streets, miscellaneous trafficways or state routes within the cities limits.